Amid pomp and pageantry, some top management executives, friends and relatives of Chief Michael Kayode Ajayi bade him farewell from the Nigerian Ports Authority after about 24 years of meritorious service.

At the Intercontinental Hotel venue of the send forth ceremony organized for the public relations icon, top officials of NPA, including the Managing Director of the authority, Hadiza Bala-Usman poured encomiums on Ajayi, who was leaving at a time they needed him most.

Usman described him as very dedicated, committed and loyal man. “For the short period I have worked with him, we had a very close working relationship. He has shown commitment to work, he shown his patriotism to the country, he is someone that is very knowledgeable about operations in NPA and he doesn’t shy away from saying the truth, which is what I valued very much. He had very candid contributions that added value to our operations. In the period he has worked very closely with me, I would say that Chief Ajayi is a very dedicated person, very loyal and committed. I would want to recommend him for any leadership position in the country.

“He is going today, I don’t know if he will go, because I will always call on him to provide support and guidance, I think he will always be part of what we do in the Authority. His level of commitment, dedication and loyalty is enviable values in Ajayi. I think we should appreciate those virtues and nurture them in ourselves,” she said.

General Manager, Medical Services, Mrs Abama Ohinwe, said: “Ajayi is loving and he gave us the courage that made us to overcome several challenges encountered on the job.

Captain Iheanacho Ebubeogu, who organized the farewell party said: “We have transcended from being colleagues to being friends and it has extended to our families. I am going to miss him at work, and I believe there is no other honour to give to such a man who is very close to me than to call my fellow colleagues and let them identify my feeling of missing a fellow colleague in a work environment, because I will come to work tomorrow and he is not going to be there,”

Ajayi, who was flanked by his wife and son was highly elated and thanked all NPA staff for their support that him to be successful during his years of service.